| MOST POPULAR Massive Gov Tech Deal Could Be Largest Ever Wednesday morning brought some business news that is reverberating throughout state and local government. GT brought you the announcement that Tyler Technologies plans to buy NIC, bringing together two of the biggest companies in the gov tech market today. Associate Editor Ben Miller talked to Tyler CEO Lynn Moore to get his take on the pending acquisition, valued at a cool $2.3 billion. What Will Biden Do for Infrastructure? Meanwhile, longtime GT blogger and cybersecurity expert Dan Lohrmann looked for clues about the infrastructure plans from the new administration. On the heels of the passage of the stimulus package, which includes $10 billion for cybersecurity and IT infrastructure, Biden will likely turn this month to infrastructure, including specifics building on his campaign-era plans for the country’s roads, ports and bridges. Innovation Comes to Salt Lake City Utah’s capital city is the latest to embrace forward-looking technology plans. Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s recent State of the City address included an announcement about a new innovation department that will drive various modernization efforts as well as digital equity plans. Chief Innovation Officer Nole Walkingshaw has been named to head the office. Closing the Digital Divide Will Cost Billions The pandemic has laid bare the extent of the digital divide as connectivity limitations became clear from the widespread implementation of virtual education. A new report from the Southern Education Foundation, Boston Consulting Group and Common Sense Media estimates that as many as 12 million students between kindergarten and 12th grade do not currently have access to connected devices. Further, much of the recent support came with an expiration date. Ongoing funding in the billions is needed to bridge the divide, analysts say. | 